Newcastle City Council is your home local authority. We are required by law to co-ordinate the admission process for reception admission to state schools (including faith schools) for children of all families living in Newcastle. This includes those families who wish to apply for schools outside of the Newcastle area. The coordination arrangements ensure that every child is offered a school place by their home authority.
Apply for reception places online
The closing date for applications is midnight on 15 January 2011.
If you are required to provide evidence to support your application, it will say so in the admissions policy.
It is extremely important that you read and understand the admissions policy for every school you are applying for.
Faith schools have different admissions criteria to Newcastle community schools. They will give priority to children of their faith.
You may be asked to provide proof of your address. This must be the permanent address at which the child is living with a parent or person with parental responsibility
If you want to apply for a reception place at a school in another local authority (for example in Northumberland) you will need to apply on the Newcastle application form. We transfer the information to other local authorities and they will inform us if a place can be offered. We will then contact you on the outcome.
Please note that other local authorities may have different timescales for dealing with applications. See other neighbouring local authorities.
If you want to apply for a place at an independent school you will need to submit an application directly to the school. See independent schools.
Please let us know for our records if you live in Newcastle and are not applying to a state school.
By law, you must use the permanent address at which the child is living with a parent or a person with parental responsibility. The address of a childminder or family members who share in the care of your child must not be used.
If you move house after 15 January 2011, you must inform us and provide proof of address as it may affect the offer of a school place.
You need access to the internet and an email account. The council offers free internet access at all libraries and customer service centres. Staff may be able to help you to set up a free email account. See apply online section.
You can make an appointment with the Families Information Service and the School Choice Adviser outside normal opening hours and at a venue to suit you.
No. You should submit one application. Do not submit a paper application as well as an online application. Submission of duplicate information can slow the process down.
Applications made online will be acknowledged by return email. This is the most secure process as there is no risk that it will get lost in the post or be input incorrectly.
If you submit a paper application form, a receipt will not be provided. It is your responsibility to ensure that your application is submitted on time.
If you apply online you can change your preference any time online until the closing date of midnight on 15 January 2011. You will get a confirmation email each time.
If you submit a paper application, write to tell us about any changes. Please include your child’s full name and date of birth in any correspondence. The information must be received before the closing date. Any changes received after midnight on 15 January 2011 will be treated as a late application and will not be considered in the first round of allocations.
Yes. If your application is received after 15 January 2011, it will not be processed until after we have processed forms received on time.
This means you are less likely to get a place at one of the schools listed on your form. We also cannot guarantee we will make an offer of a place on 1 April 2011.
If there are exceptional circumstances for your application being late such as:
you must write and tell us why your application is late and provide proof.
We will consider each case individually and may – as an exception - process your form as though it was received on time.
If you apply after 5 February 2011 we are unable to consider a late application as an exception because the allocations process will have started.
You must make sure that everything you tell us is true and accurate. If there is proof that you have given us false or misleading information the offer of a school place may be withdrawn. We may ask you to provide evidence such as proof of home address to support your application. We can ask schools, other council departments, other admission authorities and the health authority for information.